Podcast
Almost Nowhere
Hosted by The CAS Institute · EN
Almost Nowhere explores the intersection of data science, AI, and actuarial thinking in the P&C insurance industry—and beyond. In a world where innovation feels slow and risk is constantly evolving, we ask the hard questions, spotlight real-world progress, and talk with the people driving change. Whether you're an actuary, a data scientist, or just curious about what’s next, this show dives into how emerging tech is reshaping insurance from the inside out.
26episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Piotr Lebiedz
5d ago00:42:52Tap to summarizeRecorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores a question that sits at the center of modern actuarial practice: what does pricing sophistication actually mean?While many North American conversations focus on modeling techniques, filing requirements, and implementation challenges, some international markets have pushed much further into demand modeling, elasticity, customer lifetime value, experimentation, and real-time deployment. To understand what that looks like in practice, Alicia Burke and Jeffrey Durham sit down with pricing actuary Piotr Lebiedz, whose experience spans some of Europe's most competitive insurance markets. The discussion covers:Why competition and regulation shape pricing innovation differently around the worldWhat U.S. actuaries can learn from pricing practices in Poland and the UKThe real strengths and limitations of GBMs versus GLMsHow demand modeling and elasticity can improve business decisions without crossing regulatory linesWhy deployment speed may matter more than model complexityThe debate around customer lifetime value and whether insurers can truly predict itHow AI and agentic workflows could reshape pricing teams in the years aheadAlong the way, Piotr challenges the idea that sophistication is simply about building more complex models. Instead, he argues that the most advanced organizations focus on people, processes, governance, and speed—using the right tools for the right problems rather than chasing complexity for its own sake. For actuaries, pricing leaders, and insurance innovators, this conversation offers a rare look inside markets where pricing strategy has become a true competitive weapon.
Transcribe →Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
2w ago00:44:57Tap to summarizeRecorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere cuts through the noise surrounding InsurTech, GenAI, and the future of insurance software. Alicia Burke, Max Martinelli, and guest co-host Sergey sit down with Betty Zhu to unpack one of the biggest questions facing carriers today: when should insurers build technology themselves, and when should they buy it?Drawing from nearly a decade inside pricing technology and InsurTech vendors, Betty shares an insider’s perspective on the realities behind flashy demos, AI-driven product claims, vendor evaluations, proof-of-concepts, and the growing pressure created by rapid advances in generative AI.The conversation explores:Why GenAI is making “build vs. buy” harder than everHow carriers can distinguish real expertise from polished demosThe hidden risks of in-house AI development and key-person dependencyWhy distribution, domain expertise, and long-term viability matter more than hypeHow actuarial workflows may evolve as AI lowers the barrier to building softwareFor actuaries, innovation leaders, and insurance professionals trying to navigate the next wave of AI-enabled transformation, this episode offers a grounded discussion on what creates durable value — and what may disappear as quickly as it arrived.
Transcribe →Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
3w ago00:44:02Tap to summarizeRecorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores how Japan’s insurance industry manages some of the most concentrated catastrophe risk in the world.Hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli are joined by Suguru Fujita, Yohei Konishi, Takuro Oyama, and Kenta Ito for a conversation on earthquakes, typhoons, reinsurance structures, catastrophe modeling, public-private partnerships, and the cultural mindset behind resilience in Japan.The discussion dives into how Japanese insurers approach pricing, regulation, AI, claims response, and long-term catastrophe management — and what U.S. actuaries and insurers can learn from a system built around collaboration, preparedness, and recovery.
Transcribe →Jim Weiss & Howard Kunst
Apr 2800:32:03Tap to summarizeClimate risk is changing faster than actuarial practice.In this episode of Almost Nowhere, Jim Weiss challenges how actuaries think about responsibility when models, data, and assumptions start to break down. From overlooked casualty impacts to the limits of today’s frameworks, this conversation pushes beyond the usual climate narrative.Plus, what AI means for all of it — and why the real risk might not be what you think.Filmed at the 2026 CAS RPM Seminar in Chicago.
Transcribe →Charles Johnson
Apr 2400:48:20Tap to summarizeAI is rapidly reshaping how actuaries are trained, hired, and evaluated. In this episode, Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli talk with Charles Johnson—actuary, educator, and founder—about what’s changing across the talent pipeline.From AI-assisted learning to AI-influenced interviews, the gap between high-performing candidates and those relying too heavily on tools is widening. The conversation explores hiring challenges, why traditional interviews fall short, and how hands-on work is becoming the clearest signal of real ability.As the profession evolves, one question stands out: who will adapt—and who will fall behind?
Transcribe →Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer
Apr 600:37:50Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Almost Nowhere, we dig into the CAS AI Primer and the problem it was built to solve: a growing divide between actuaries actively experimenting with AI and those keeping their distance.Our guests, part of the CAS AI working group, explain why that gap exists—and why it matters. While some practitioners are already building, testing, and validating AI-driven workflows, others are holding back due to uncertainty, risk, and lack of a clear starting point.Access the Primer: https://www.casact.org/publications-research/research/ai-tools-and-resources
Transcribe →Josh Pyle
Jan 3000:39:42Tap to summarizeJosh Pyle, Head of Corporate Actuarial, Reinsurance Strategy & ERM at Root Insurance, joins Max Martinelli, Alicia Burke, and surprise co-host Sergey Filimonov for a deep dive into generative AI agents. From governance and regulation to experimentation and business alignment, we unpack where actuaries should be exploring—and where they should proceed with caution. Whether you’re prototyping your first agent or weighing build-vs-buy, this episode brings real-world perspective to a fast-moving space.
Transcribe →Alp Can
Jan 2600:41:38Tap to summarizeLive from the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting, Alicia Burke and Erin Olson sit down with Alp Can to talk climate risk, tipping points, and what actuaries can do when the baseline itself is shifting. From disclosure frameworks to systems thinking to using the Actuaries Climate Index, this episode reframes climate not just as a risk—but as the new context for everything else.
Transcribe →Sergey Filimonov interview from CAS 2025 Annual Meeting
Jan 2100:43:35Tap to summarizeIn this crossover episode with Actuarial Review, Sergey Filimonov returns for round three to talk AI hype, hard truths, and what’s actually working. From compute costs and evals to regulatory gaps and sustainability risks, we get into the real impact AI is having on actuaries—and what to watch for next.🎧 Recorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting.
Transcribe →Michel Leonard on Geopolitics, Inflation, and Actuarial Blind Spots
Jan 1200:44:19Tap to summarizeWhat do trade wars, tariffs, and extreme weather have in common? They’re not just headlines—they’re actuarial inputs. Michel Léonard joins Alicia Burke and Sara Chen (Actuarial Review) to talk about modeling the unpredictable, why actuaries need to rethink volatility, and how economic risk signals are evolving faster than our frameworks.
Transcribe →